Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-02
THE ELECTRIC CARS.
cow THE UNION RAILWAY COMPANY
WANT TO RUN THEM.
No Danger, No Noise, No smoke-The
Finest Electric Line in
the World.

A Dispatch reporter yesterday bad a con-
versaiion with Mr.. $. ID. Greene, an elec-
triciaD, who represents the sprague Elet-
tric- Motor and Railway Company OF New
York, and who comes here TO explain TO
the Committee on Streets this evening how
the Union Passenger Railway ComDany
propose to operate its cars by electricity II
the city authorities will let them. Mr.
Greene was formerly an ensign in the
United States navy, and was Stationed on
the new steel cruiser Atlanta at New YORK.
For a year or so, however. he has been
with the Sprague company.
ovERHEAD-wIRE.
In reply TO questions asked. Mr.. Greene
said that the principle on which the cars
will be run depends on the electrical trans
mission Of power. Starting from the source
Of power-the central station, as it's called,
where the dynamOs will be placed-the
current will be led by means OF wire
placed overhead 10 the wires running along
the line OF the road. The electric motors
for propeIliug the ears are mounted under
the ears where they couple direct on the
axles. From the wire w1ich runs along
the road the current is carried 10 the motors
by means Of sliding contact. After pass
ing through the motor the current goes into
the ground.
CARS EASILY MANAGED.
"Can the cars be easily operatedW
"They can be manipulated with perfect
case. there will be a leve. on eacl plat.
form, by means Of which the cars can be
stopped, reversed, or quickened at will
They can be run at a speed OF twelve miles
an hour, or half a mile an hour-in tact, as
slow as il desired-and they can be stopped
in a distance Of bali their length. In addi-
ton to the ordinary brakes, we have
patent track-brake, which clamps the track.
This, however, is only used on steep in
chnes, or in sleety or icy weather.
No DANGER.
"It has been thought by some people,"
continued Mr.. Greene, 'that it would be
possible to get a shock OF electricity by
touching both tracks at once. This is ut
terly impossible, as both tracks together
form the ground connection, and are there
fore at the same electrical pressure" So,
to sum up, one wire is eighteen feet over
head; the other is buried in the ground;
and the only ray one cOutd get eUen shock
is 10 arab both lcireS at once. The idea Of
such feat is absurd. No wires will come
in contact with the passengers.
THE STYLE OF CARS.
"The cars we will use will be Of the
most modern pattern. They will be six
teen feet long and will seat twenty-five
people. The open or summer-cars will
seat fifty people comfortably. They will
be lighted by electricity, and will be fitted
up with all appliances necessary to comfort
and convenience.
NO HORSES.
The electrical system, OF course, does
away with the use OF horses; that is a saw
ing i'm the wear and tear and the cleanliness
OF the streets, aud is point OF economy to
the company. The Belt Line Of New York,
which lost 1900 horses last week by fire,
is now considering the project Of running
their ears by our patent.
THE POLES.
"The poles on which the overhead wires
will be hung will be placed on the sidewalk
like telegraph poles, and will not interfere
with locOmOtion or traffic. In the central
part of the city they will be Of an ornament
al pattern and made Of iron.
BOOM FOR RICHMOND.
"li the city allows the company to use
electricity Richmond will have more eec.
trical mileage than any city in the lo0rld.
That's saying a good deal, but it will be so.
The longest at present is over in Berlin,
aud there they have only about three miles.
Baltimore has about two miles and a hsli,
and Les Angeles has about three miles
Richmond will have eleven and a bali
miles. That will be a big thing for this
city. She will be t9lked about in all The
scientific journals OF the world, and scien-
lists will come here to see the cars run, and
yely soon the system will be generally
adopted. Cars are now beng fitted up TO
Iun by our system on the We,tEnd Line
in Boston. Electricity is used on eleven
lines OF street railway in the United States ,
CENTRAL STATION.
Gas a central station we will need a
building about l30 by 20 feet, four Storie,
high. twill cost about 80 or 4Oper cent less
to run tie cars by electricity than by horses.
The running Is absolutely noiseIess. No
clanking chains or anything Of that sort
our company has been in existence abour
two years, and if allowed we intend TO put
in a syStem here as perfect as money can
make it.p